Wolf Dawg

Anyone,

My 99 ford escort engine locked up and I need some advice on whether to
trash the car or put a used engine in it?
Sounds like this problem has happened before. The car seemed like it
was misfiring..Replaced plugs and wires. This helped but the symptoms
came back after a week or so. Then I drove to the gas station approx.
10 miles, car was driving fine, no noises, vibrations or noticeable
changes to ride, acceleration, etc. After filling the tank the engine
started very rough and a very loud pinging noise (valves clattering?)
as the engine ran. I immediately shut the engine off. I started the
engine again and the pining was less severe and I drove the car to the
side of the building. The car was towed to a shop the next day and the
mechanic said the engine was seized up and it needed to be replaced. Is
this common? The only thing I can think of is that the oil pump failed
and the engine failed from lack of oil?

Any info would be appreciated. Thanks. Scott

 

Tom Adkins

Wolf Dawg wrote:
> Anyone,
>
> My 99 ford escort engine locked up and I need some advice on whether to
> trash the car or put a used engine in it?
> Sounds like this problem has happened before. The car seemed like it
> was misfiring..Replaced plugs and wires. This helped but the symptoms
> came back after a week or so. Then I drove to the gas station approx.
> 10 miles, car was driving fine, no noises, vibrations or noticeable
> changes to ride, acceleration, etc. After filling the tank the engine
> started very rough and a very loud pinging noise (valves clattering?)
> as the engine ran. I immediately shut the engine off. I started the
> engine again and the pining was less severe and I drove the car to the
> side of the building. The car was towed to a shop the next day and the
> mechanic said the engine was seized up and it needed to be replaced. Is
> this common? The only thing I can think of is that the oil pump failed
> and the engine failed from lack of oil?
>
> Any info would be appreciated. Thanks. Scott
>

It very likely dropped a valve seat. I've seen it numerous times on late 90s Escorts.

sleepdog@optonline.net

Wolf Dawg wrote:
>> The car was towed to a shop the next day and the
>> mechanic said the engine was seized up and it needed to be replaced. Is
>> this common?

Is what common? Given a certain make, model, year, and problem
description that a mechanic will know exactly what failed without
opening the hood? Maybe, but not a foolproof means of diagnosis.

An engine siezes from a lack of oil or coolant, or both, when the
pistons and cylinder walls overheat and start melting, etc. The
mechanic pulled the head off the block and confirmed this?

If not have the car towed to a competent mechanic.

scott21230@gmail.com

It's the 1991-1996 witht he 1.9L engine where the dropped valve seat is
a problem. Hopefully my Jasper rebuilt engine I have in mine has that
defect cured.

As to if you want to put in a new engine or junk it depends upon how
long you want to keep the car. Check junkyards and eBay to see if you
can get a good used engine cheap enough.

clare at snyder.on.ca

On Tue, 14 Feb 2006 12:55:30 -0500, Tom Adkins
<newton5@remove.comcast.net> wrote:

>Wolf Dawg wrote:
>> Anyone,
>>
>> My 99 ford escort engine locked up and I need some advice on whether to
>> trash the car or put a used engine in it?
>> Sounds like this problem has happened before. The car seemed like it
>> was misfiring..Replaced plugs and wires. This helped but the symptoms
>> came back after a week or so. Then I drove to the gas station approx.
>> 10 miles, car was driving fine, no noises, vibrations or noticeable
>> changes to ride, acceleration, etc. After filling the tank the engine
>> started very rough and a very loud pinging noise (valves clattering?)
>> as the engine ran. I immediately shut the engine off. I started the
>> engine again and the pining was less severe and I drove the car to the
>> side of the building. The car was towed to a shop the next day and the
>> mechanic said the engine was seized up and it needed to be replaced. Is
>> this common? The only thing I can think of is that the oil pump failed
>> and the engine failed from lack of oil?
>>
>> Any info would be appreciated. Thanks. Scott
>>
>
> It very likely dropped a valve seat. I've seen it numerous times on late 90s Escorts.
Usually related to having overheated the engine, but not always.
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Fordfan

scott21230@gmail.com wrote:
> It's the 1991-1996 witht he 1.9L engine where the dropped valve seat is
> a problem.

What is the typical mileage for this to occur? Can anything be done to
prevent it, short of removing the head and reworking the seats? Does it
happen to a particular seat more than the others? Thanks

scott21230@gmail.com

>What is the typical mileage for this to occur? Can anything be done to
prevent it, short of removing the head and reworking the seats? Does it

happen to a particular seat more than the others? Thanks


Mine happenned at 72,000 miles. somewhere around 75,000 miles is
common. I think it's valves for #4 cylinder. I image you could do a
valve job with the fix and that would prevent the problem.

Tom Adkins

Fordfan wrote:
> scott21230@gmail.com wrote:
>
>> It's the 1991-1996 witht he 1.9L engine where the dropped valve seat is
>> a problem.
>
>
> What is the typical mileage for this to occur? Can anything be done to
> prevent it, short of removing the head and reworking the seats? Does it
> happen to a particular seat more than the others? Thanks

Like Fordfan said, it's the 1.9L engine that has this problem.I don't believe I've
seen it happen on one with less than ~50K although I'm sure it could. As far as any
cylinder being more vulnerable, in my experience it would be #1. I've also seen it
happen on #2 and #3, but oddly, not #4. I've never heard the cause for dropped seats,
but overheating makes sense. An older engine with a poorly maintained cooling system
running hotter than normal over time could cause the steel seat to eventually loosen
in the aluminum head.
It can happen quickly. I had a customer drop her vehicle off for a brake job last
summer. I was standing in the driveway when she pulled in and the car was running fine
with no engine noise. When I went to pull it into the bay, it was rattling and running
on about 2 cylinders, I had to push it in. Needless to say she was quite upset and was
sure I did something to her car. She had it towed to another shop.It had dropped an
exhaust seat on #1 and sent debris through the intake into #3 jamming the intake valve
open.

Wolf Dawg

I think you hit the nail on the head. Thanks!

scott21230@gmail.com

I really wasn't sure if it was #1 or #4 cylinder valves, but
definatelyt one of those two. http://www.feoa.net might know, but most
of the people there seem to have GT's that have the 1.8L engine so that
might not help much.